Binding for tennis nets



Sept. 1, 1936. v. LlcHTENsTElN 2,052,637

BINDING FOR TENNIS NETS Filed Deo. 17, 1934 il l;

BY Y mm fg AT'roRNl-:Y-D

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 'UNITED- aoaatsvy l BINDmG Fon TENNIS Ns'rs V "Valentine Lichtenstein, Jersey City',` N`.

' A`.lippli`ation December 17,1934, Serial No'.757,871

5 Claims.

This invention relates to tennis nets and has reference particularly to improvements in the manner and means of applying the top band to vthe body of the net.

` of the net proper, the strands and the band being attached together by means of a row or rows of stitching. It is found that in the stitching operation the needle and the thread often pierce the strands of the net causing them to become weakened andto break after the net has been in actual use for a very short period.

Various expedients have been used to overcome this difficulty; among the most widely used means being that in which the portion of the net adjacent the band and the band itself are not tarred until after the stitching operation has been completed. It was believed that by such a procedure the strands did not become injured or weakened bythe stitching operation, because the latter took place before the fibres of the strands became stiffened by the tar coating. There seems to be little or no foundation for this claim because of the fact that the strands of the net where they are pierced by the needle and the stitches are bound to be split, a condition which seems to have only one result and that is the weakening of the split fibres.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the necessity of piercing the strands of the net in the application ofv the band to form the upper selvage and I accomplish this object by means of the particular construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, set forth in the claims and illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which, Figure 1 is an elevational view partly in section of one end section of a net; Figure 2 is a substantially vertical sectional view taken on line 2 2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of the net taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawing, I denotes a net consisting of the usual cord strands II, which are knotted at their intersections, and which along the bottom and ends of the net are provided with suitable binding material I2. Since there is no particular strain brought to bear upon the net along its ends and bottom the binding material I 2 may be attached by a simple row of stitching I3.

However, along the long top side of the` net where the latter receives substantially all of its support, no stitching is used in the binding. I

accomplish this feature by placing along the top strands a fiat tape I4, one thin side or edge thereof being disposed against the upper side of the net, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. A length of bias tape I is then wrapped helically about the tape I4 and upper strand of the net, so that each wrapping of the tape I 5 brings it over and about the tape I4 and between the vertical strands depending from the top or horizontal strands. This operation attaches the net securely to the tape I 4 without injuring the strands.

A wide upper binding I 6 is then mounted on the tape I4 by taking a length of fabric e. g., duck, and folding it longitudinally upon itself so as to bring its long sides on opposite sides of the wrapped tape I4. A row of stitching I 'I is then run through the binding I6, the Wrapping tape I5 and inner tape I4. At each end of the net the upright binding I2, is placed alongside the wrapped tape and the stitching I1 run through the added thickness of material. At its extreme end the binding material I6 projects beyond the upright end binding I2 and is turned inwardly upon itself and finished oif by the stitching I1, which runs out to the extreme end. The projecting ends of the binding I6 are provided with eyelets I8 to receive the ends of the ropes adapted to attach the net to the posts on the courts. 'I'he lower corners of the net formed by the meeting of the bottom and end binding strips I2 are also provided with eyelets I9, through which the lower tie ropes from the court posts are disposed.

The result of this construction is a net which in use is suspended entirely from the tape I4 by means of the wrapping tape I5, and the latter and the tape I4 are supported in the binding IB through the stitched connection I'I, as illustrated particularly in Figure 3.

It will be understood of course in connection with the present invention that the matter of treating the net with viscous or other coatings will in no way interfere with the application of the upper binding strip, because it is contemplated that the strands of the netting along the upper line thereof are not to be pierced by the row of stitching I'I, because the latter is not brought into contact with the net at any point throughout its length.

Having now described my invention and the manner in which the same is constructed, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. A net of the character described, comprising a netted material and a binding attached to its margin, comprising a strip of tape arranged along Y margin, comprising a strip of tape arranged along a longitudinal side of the net, a tape wrapped about the outside strands of the net and the first tape, a fabric binding embracing the wrapped tape, and a'row of stitching run through the fabric binding and Wrapped tape.

3. A net of the character described, comprising,V a netted material adapted to hang from one`of its longitudinal marginal sides, atape disposed along the upper longitudinal side, a tape wrappedY helically about the rst tape and the upper strand of the net between the vertical strandsa fabric binding Afolded longitudinally thereof and disposed over the Wrapped tape with the closed side spaced above the latter, and a row of` stitching run through the two layers of the fabric binding on opposite sides of the wrapped tap-e and through 5 the latter beyond the upper strand of the net.

4. A net, as claimed in claimy 3, in which the fabric binding material and the enclosed wrapped tape extend beyond the ends of the net, and including anreyelet arranged in each projecting end 10 and disposed to clamp the first tape, vfabric binding and stitching between its flanges.

A.5. A net, as claimed in claim 3, including bind- 'ing for the ends and bottom of the net, the binding atlthe ends extending upwardly into the 15 fabric binding and being caught by the said stitching. l Y

f VALENTINE LICI-ITENSTEIN.v i 

